The Cedar Hall Moravian Church in Jennings overflowed with emotion yesterday as family, friends, classmates, neighbours, and community leaders gathered to lay 18-year-old Kahleel Simon to rest—just months after he was shot and killed by police on his 18th birthday celebration.
Simon, a well-known and energetic teen from Bolans, was remembered as a warm-spirited, ambitious young man with a bright future. Loved ones described him as respectful, caring, and deeply devoted to his family, especially his siblings.
Many recalled his sharp sense of humour, his love for sports, and his dream of pursuing a trade to build a better future for himself.
But today’s service carried a heavy tone of grief and frustration, as mourners grappled with the circumstances of his death. On the night he turned 18, Simon was fatally shot during a police-involved incidentthat remains under investigation.
According to his relatives, he had been celebrating quietly earlier in the evening before the confrontation that ended his life.
During the funeral, several relatives used their tributes not only to honour Simon’s life but also to call for justice, insisting that the officers involved must be held accountable.
His mother, supported by relatives on either side, vowed that the family would “not rest until Kahleel’s name is cleared and those responsible are removed from office.”
Outside the church, mourners stood in long lines to view Simon’s body and offer condolences. After the service, a large crowd followed the procession to the cemetery, where the teenager was laid to rest amid tears, prayers, and emotional embraces.
